8 Ways to Feel Better Right Now

The interwebz is chock-full of articles on how to enhance your spiritual life and make your life better in the long run. “How to learn to look deep inside of you”, “how to experience lovely situations in the future”… but what about feeling better RIGHT NOW? It seems like we are so busy making our future better, that we almost don’t know how to feel better in this exact moment. Remember that your only power is in the now. There’s no other moment other than this moment.

What is the real problem?

I think it all comes down to this problem: we don’t know what makes us feel good anymore. I’ve just realized it today: I’m never doing something just for the sake of doing it. When I write my blog, I do it to get better at writing, to make it worth reading for you, to improve it. When I make something handmade it usually is to post the diy tutorial here, or to see if I can make something beautiful I can sell. When I read, it’s for other reasons other than pure enjoyment: studying, learning, reading something cause everyone seems to be talking about it. It’s almost never just for the sake and pleasure of reading. It’s not like you do things that you don’t like: it’s that we fail to appreciate the process of doing things and we always focus too much on results. This is not the way you live in the present, and it’s definitely not the way to be happy. A burn-out is alway around the corner; one must be careful.

8 Things You Can Do to Feel Better Right Now

I come up with 8 small thing you can do right now, right here, to feel relief instantaneously. Let’s see if they will work for you, too.

1. Put the right soundtrack on. This always works! Delete all that sad music from your iTunes and load some ’80s glam rock, or some rock-a-hula baby! Actually anything that makes you feel cheerful and active is ok.

2. Dance (&Sing). This is strictly related to number 1. Nothing makes me happier than putting on TNT by AC/DC and dancing like a crazy person, pretending to hold a mic in my hand and to sing in front of a huge audience… “CAUSE I’M TNT… I’M DYNAMITE!!”. Trust me, it works. Even though your neighbours might look at you differently next time you meet them.

3. Google for happy things. Sounds silly, but it’s not! Google for “laugh”, “laughing”, “jumping”, “freedom”, “ocean”, “playful”, “sunny”. It will lift your mood in a second! Optional: print your favourite finds out and stick them somewhere you can see them often.

4. Smile. For no reason at all. Just smile, think about something that made you laugh if it helps. Watch some comedians on YouTube if you need it. Just smile and laugh as much as you can! Your brain will receive the information “I’m happy!” and will provide to make it true for your mind and your body as well. I’m actually pretty sure that laughing helps your digestion, too.

5. Stand in the sun. Whenever you can! Don’t be lazy and get out of the house, or the office when it’s lunch break! Go and get some vitamin D running in your body! It really affects your body functions and lack of sun could even cause depression.

6. Make stupid faces in the mirror whenever you’re standing in front of one. It’s fun! If you don’t like seeing grumpy faces when you walk on the street or in your office, why would you want to look at your own grumpy face?

7. Feel your body. Right now. Stop doing whatever you’re doing, close your eyes and listen to your body. Are your shoulders up around your ears? Is your stomach feeling knotted? Are you relaxed or tense? There’s a 90% chance that you are frowning, or generally wrinkling your forehead and your scalp. Feel the parts of your body that are tense, and release the tension. Take a deep breath. Better, right?

8. Breathe with your belly and not with your shoulders. When you take a deep breath and you lift your shoulders you are breathing in the wrong way. You are only using the upper part of your lungs and neglecting your diaphragm. This affects everything in your body: your muscles, your digestion, your sexual life, your blood circulation. Learn to breathe using your diaphragm and your life will get better. I know because it solved 80% of my problems. Trust me on this one.

Have you tried some of these 8 ways to feel better now? Did they work? Have you got other techniques that you use to feel better right now? Leave a comment below and let us know!

About the Author

Hey, it's Elisa, founder of styleonvega.com. I'm a social media strategist & consultant by day and blogger by night (honing my multitasking skills since 2006 ;). I'm an atypical Italian, freedom lifestyle advocate and modern spirituality enthusiast. Feel like we could get along? Join me just above this box or get in touch with me on Facebook or Twitter.

Leave a Comment:

Googling happy.. or let’s rather say hilarious.. things is my hubby’s and mine fave thing to do toghether 😀 Typing really random words to the image search and see what comes up 😀 Some really good laughs we have got 😀

Oh my! Cute overload! Hahaha it’s amazing! If we’re going down this path tho, I would add a number 9 to the list: watching silly youtube web series all day long. When I’m feeling down I keep them as a background! Sometimes they’re better than music and they make me laugh. Too bad I can’t suggest you some, cause they’re all in my language! XD

I just released the tension I didn’t realise I was holding in my shoulders and now I’m breathing deeply. I love this post, everything you’ve noted is a winner. Another one for me would be to take a break from social media (FB, Twitter, IG, Tumblr) for a couple of days. I did it recently when I was away in Melbourne and it helped me prioritise and enjoy the moment. xoxoxo

I loved this post and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I agree the process has been forgot and then the results suffer as a consequence. If you skip the process and miss out on the enjoyment your results will suffer. So I am going to stop worrying I don’t know what the results are going to look like I am just going to do.

Definitely 1 & 2! That’s how I forget that I’m getting a workout, because I’m having fun while doing it—dance, dance, dance! Music and dancing are my go to when I am feeling sad, and it works! When I do yoga, they teach you HOW to breathe, and some people may laugh at it, but a lot of us aren’t breathing the right way… especially when we’re panicking and stressed out.

It’s hard to get the sun especially in the winter right now, but I try to make it a point to head out to the park when there’s a bit of sunshine out. 🙂 It does totally work.